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this Page to a Friend.One of the most delightful aspects of planning a wedding is that it often includes purchasing jewelry. The first piece of jewelry that's bought is usually an engagement ring. Next, perhaps, comes the purchase of wedding bands. Jewelry makes a lovely gift for attendants, the mother of the groom and the mother of the bride. The more you know, the safer you will be when making your purchases.
The most important rule of some is to buy your jewelry from someone you know and trust, who has a good reputation, and is a well-established professional. With jewelry available from so many online jewelry sites, any number a few jewelry stores, and many department stores, it's best to ask recommendations from your friends and family in the same way as you would in choosing any other professional. The Better Business Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce are also excellent resources for checking the status of a jeweler. Look for a jeweler who is affiliated with one or more professional trade associations, like the Jewelers of America (JA). Those organizations hold their members to high ethical standards and require members to take ongoing education classes. Longevity is also an excellent indicator. How long has the store been in existence? Keep in mind the old adage that you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time. So a jeweler who has been in the community for a long time, is your best bet. Regardless of what jewelry you choose, make sure to get an itemized receipt for your purchases and be certain that you understand the store's return policy, which you should get in writing.
If you feel comfortable ordering online, follow the same guidelines as you would with a bricks and mortar jewelry shop and make sure that you shop only on a website that list a phone number, address and/or "Contact Us" e-mail option. The same laws that apply to bricks and mortar stores, also apply to web sites, but may not be as easily enforceable. For safety sake, for online purchases, always use a credit card, rather than a debit card. In that way you have recourse with the credit card company and a better chance of recouping your money in the event that you need to make a return. You should also make sure that you know the website's return policy, specifically regarding the window of time during which the return can be made. Ask to have your item shipped in original packaging, where appropriate, and always get an itemized receipt. If you are buying diamonds, ask the seller for a grading report from an independent gemological laboratory. Take special care when buying a watch on-line. Some manufacturers' warrantees are not valid if the watch is not purchased from an authorized dealer. Check the watch manufacturer's site. It will probably list authorized e-commerce sites.
Keep in mind that if something is too good to be true, then it usually is. Don't be fooled by outrageous discounts. More often than, sites that offer discounts of 50% or more, have inflated the price to begin with, in order to give the deep discount. If possible, do some comparison shopping to ascertain the real retail price. The law requires that there be a quality mark and registered trademark on fine jewelry. Gold jewelry should bear the karat mark or quality mark that indicates the amount of gold actually in the peace. 14kt means 58.3% pure gold; 18kt means that the piece is 75% pure. In other words, in a piece of 14kt gold jewelry, 14 of its 24 parts are pure gold, while the other parts are made of one or more metal alloys. Gold is a soft metal, so those alloys are added to the gold in order to make it stronger. The type of metal that is added often will change the color of the piece. That's what creates colors like rose gold and white gold. Platinum, which is hardest and rarest metal used for jewelry, is usually marked PLAT, or 950 PLAT. Sterling silver items are stamped 925. Jewelry pieces that are made in the United States are required by federal law to also be stamped with the manufacturer's trademark. That stamp is your assurance that the manufacturer will stand behind the authenticity of the piece.
Gemstone jewelry pieces present different issues. Most gemstones are treated to improve their beauty. Gemstone treatments by oiling, or heating are accepted industry practices, but the FTC requires that the jeweler disclose that information to the buyer, because treatments may impact on the way in which you care for and clean your jewelry item. It's a good rule of thumb when buying a piece of jewelry to find out the best way to care for it.
No doubt you have heard about the 4Cs that determine the value of the diamond. Those indicators are cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. The cut requires a skillful professional and results in the brilliance of the stone, separating the value of two stones of the same size. The cut refers to the faceting, the number of sides of the diamond. This should not be confused with the shape of a diamond, such as marquise, oval, princess, etc. The color of the stone is another factor in establishing the value of the stone. The grading starts at letter D and the further down in the alphabet you go, the poorer the color becomes and the less valuable the stone. If you look at loose diamonds on a sheet of pure white paper, you will be probably able to tell the differences in color, unless the differences are very subtle. The last C is clarity and it speaks to how many inclusions and imperfections that there are in a stone. Clarity is graded on a scale ranging from flawless (FL or IF) to imperfect (I). Some imperfections can only be seen under a microscope, so one way to purchase a beautiful stone for a somewhat lower price is to buy one with imperfections that only you will know about.
Pearls and brides are a natural combination, and an enduring tradition. When purchasing pearls, what one should look for is surface cleanliness. That means that the pearls have no scars, or pitting. What pearls are best known for are their luster, the glow and iridescence that are the natural qualities of good pearls. Good pearls are also matched in size, or well graduated in size, with the smallest pearls, up near the clasp. Any good strand of cultured pearls will be individually knotted, so that if the strand should break, the pearls will maintain their integrity. The knots also keep the pearls from rubbing against one another and is the best reason for keeping your pearls away from other pieces of jewelry, which could harm them. If each of the pearls are drilled in the center, when rolling the strand on a flat surface, there will be no wobble, so they will lay flat around the neck.
Whatever jewelry you choose to buy, being an educated consumer will guarantee that you will have a piece that you can enjoy in your lifetime, and then can proudly pass on to the next generation.